Sermons from March 2022
Hebrews 4:12-13
In Hebrews 4:12-13, the author concludes the great exhortation begun in 3:7. Do not harden yourself when you hear the Word of God because the Word of God is living and active, it pierces to the deepest part of you, and is able to judge everything about you. This is true because God is the one who speaks this Word. He is the judge of all the earth, whom you cannot escape, and the one to whom you must give…
Matthew 11:25-27
In Matthew 11:25-27, after seeing unbelief and describing the judgment that will come to those who don’t believe, Christ responds. It can be difficult to see many turn away from the gospel in unbelief. What does Jesus do when he sees this? He gives thanks to God. Christ shows that even unbelief demonstrates the greatness of God’s sovereign grace. God uses unbelief to show that ultimately he is the only one who can open the heart to believe the gospel.…
Hebrews 4:9-10
In Hebrews 4:9-10, the author speaks about a “sabbath rest” that remains for the people of God (v. 9). He then shoes how Christ has rested from his works as God did from his (v. 10), providing the basis for this rest. Pastor Grasso defends this reading of verse 10 and shows the ways in which Christ’s work of redemption is related to creation and, more particularly, the new creation.
Matthew 11:20-24
In Matthew 11:20-24, Jesus denounces several cities for not believing the gospel though they had seen so many of his works. In each case he declares that unbelief in these situations will lead to a greater judgment than notoriously sinful Old Testament cities. The point being made is that rejection of the Gospel is the worst possible sin and will lead to the greatest judgment. Judgment will always be in proportion to the light and knowledge one has received.
Hebrews 4:1-11
In Hebrews 4:1-11 the author builds on the exhortation given in 3:7-19. He shows that the oath forbidding some to enter God’s rest implies a promise for all of those who will hear the Word of God with faith. Those who hear with faith will enter into the rest of God, which is the true fulfillment of the rest spoken of at creation in Genesis 2:2. This Sabbath rest has been won for God’s people through Christ, who rested from…
Matthew 11:16-19
In Matthew 11:16-19 Jesus describes the generation that is rejecting him. He describes them as children sitting in a marketplace and demanding that others dance and mourn according to their whims. It is a picture of a generation that seeks to demand God conform to them rather than be conformed to the image of Christ. This caused the people to complain about John being overly strict with what he eats and drinks and to complain about Jesus that he was…
Hebrews 3:7-19
In Hebrews 3:7-19 the author of Hebrews exhorts the people of God to remain faithful to God in light of the example of unfaithfulness of God’s people in the wilderness under Moses. All of them had received great blessings, just as all in the church have great blessings. They still turned away, however. Their unfaithfulness carries an implicit exhortation to all who live after them, to cling to God and to encourage others to do the same.
Matthew 11:7-15
In Matthew 11:7-15 Christ explains the greatest of John. His greatness comes from his place in redemptive history as the forerunner of the Messiah. His coming means that the end-time kingdom of God has been established. Christ says that those who understand this are desperately seeking to enter the kingdom of God. As great as John is, all of those who enter this kingdom after him, who live after the resurrection of Christ, are even greater than he is. Every…